Discontinue use of ‘private army’ in politics — Mornah
The General Secretary of the People's National Convention (PNC), Mr Bernard Mornah, has appealed to political parties to discontinue the use of ‘private army’ in politics.
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He said it was dangerous for political parties in the country to have their own ‘private army or security apparatus’.
Sharing the PNC’s position on political parties using private security guards instead of national security institutions to protect lives and their property, Mr Mornah pointed out that: “If the PNC, National Democratic Congress (NDC), New Patriotic Party (NPP), Convention People’s Party (CPP) and all other political parties were to have their own private security guards, we would only end up introducing private militias into our body politic.”
According to the PNC scribe, “When we over-liberalise security, we also tend to over-liberalise crime, mayhem and anarchy in the country.”
Private security guards
The NPP has a security group that guards its headquarters and some top functionaries. The party’s internal security apparatus called: “Invincible Forces” recently prevented the party’s National Chairman, Mr Paul Afoko, and General Secretary, Mr Kwabena Agyepong, from entering the party’s premises in the heat of the sudden and tragic death of the party’s Upper East Regional Chairman, Alhaji Adams Mahama. But Communications Director of the NPP, Nana Akomea, when speaking to Citi News, described the action as “outrageous.”
Last Thursday, the forces also chased out some supporters of Mr Afoko who were there to protest attempts to remove him from office.
The forces later rescinded their decision after the intervention of the presidential candidate of the NPP, Nana Akufo-Addo, at a press conference last Friday in which he demanded that the National Chairman and General Secretary in particular must be given access to the party headquarters.
Discontinue practice
But in the view of Mr Mornah, “It is time to discontinue the practice of a political party having a ‘private force,” in the interest of sustained peace and security.”
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He called into question, the unprofessional conduct of the NPP’s security forces when they warned Mr Afoko and Mr Agyepong not to enter the NPP Headquarters.
“I feel sad….NPP security forces now preventing NPP elected executives from coming to their office? What will happen next,” he asked.
He therefore urged the leadership of the NPP not to only take punitive measures against the forces, but also withdraw them from the party’s headquarters.
Not trained
“Most of them are not trained and they will throw our democracy into chaos, just as they have thrown the NPP into chaos,” Mr Mornah observed.
Mr Mornah added, “Since when did we need a private army or security in our body politic? This is alien and must be discontinued.”
He also said political activity and democracy were essentially meant to meet the needs and aspirations of the people and not to fight the people.